This Guide Will Help You Select The Ideal Van-Life Vehicle That Is Right For You
It's known as "van-life", "overlanding" or whatever you prefer. I've been doing this since the days when it was known simply as "living in your car." Over the course of many years and thousands of miles, I've learned what it takes to find a car you love. If you know what you want to search for, vans, SUVs and pickups can all be modified to fit the road-trip lifestyle.
Your daily life as a van driver will be influenced by the vehicle you choose to convert. The comfort, the volume of cargo you can carry, your day-to-day cost of living, even the likelihood of being pulled up by Karens or police officers--all are affected by your choice of vehicle.
If budget isn't a problem purchasing a van that is ready for life is, of course an easy task. Many companies now provide vans designed for endless road-tripping. But they aren't cheap. Even if they are used, for instance the popular Mercedes Sprinter will run you up to $35,000. Buy new and the sky is the limit.
We're not talking about the pre-made overlanders. Instead, I'm writing to the DIYers out there Many of them are probably working with the confines of a budget. If that's you, then let's get rolling.
Size and shape
The first thing you should consider when attempting to construct a home on wheels is how much area you'll be working with. The more room you have, the more space you'll have. On the other hand If you're living too large, you'll end up spending every penny for gas to transport the huge rig around.
It is important to strike the right equilibrium between how much space you can fit in and how little. While you might want the spacious panel van, you won't need to drive 14 miles per gallon for your car. A hatchback could be too small for long trips than weekenders, so you will need something with more elbow room.
Certain models also offer body shapes that are better to be converted. Certain SUVs may appear spacious initially, but as you begin building, you might discover that awkward angles or a small top can make it difficult to design an ergonomic camper arrangement. The more bigger the box, the better.
This is why I went with a Honda Element. While it's theoretically identical to a Honda CRV and Subaru Forester The Element is a large box when the seats are taken off. It is much more adaptable than other mid-sized SUVs. For the same reason, minivans are seeing a surge in sales to aftermarket. There's plenty of room for your family when you eliminate the child-friendly seats.
The gas mileage
While the cost of gas is always a major factor, it's now vital in the age of the six-buck-gallons. If you're embracing life on the road and paying your rent (or mortgage, if you're over 50) at the pump. A high MPG can make it impossible to live an ordinary life. It is likely that this is the reason you'll see increasing numbers of people choosing smaller SUVs rather than big vans these days.
Handling and capability
In my set-up, traveled more than 40,000 miles across North America last year. This covered all weather conditions and roads. Off-roading in Moab. Blizzards in Oregon, Idaho. Rural Mexico has bedraggled roads. Numerous rainstorms and hairpin mountain passes have been recorded. One tornado could have been in Colorado.
Overlanding isn't unusual for these kinds of driving situations. There are a lot of van conversions bouncing across the hardtop just outside Vegas, inching their way through a Pendleton snowstorm in winter's chilly temperatures, or attempting mucky dirt roads through the backcountry of Northern California.
In essence, you need the vehicle to be capable of handling the most severe road (or off-road) conditions you're likely to throw at it. The all-wheel drive feature in my Honda Element trim made it an ideal vehicle. Other reliable vehicles that you'll frequently encounter in the van-life scene include the Ford Transit, Subaru Forester, Jeep Grand Cherokee, and Toyota 4Runner.
Reliability and the condition
The most obvious reason for looking for a car that's in good condition involves the human desire to ensure that you don't get a car that is broken down in the middle of the road, but an efficient conversion could have more ramifications.
Van-life was a new trend prior to the year 2020. It gained popularity because of the pandemic. Many people were looking for other travel options. Van conversions are now observed everywhere, and a lot of people who are not a fan of vans are fed up with the idea. People (or the police) who may not have been a bit irritated by someone parking on their streets for a night's rest a few years back are now much more likely to get up and make you go.
This has led to the growth of "stealth van-lifing" which is the act of parking your vehicle in a suburban or urban area and not attracting the attention of the locals. There are many techniques one can use to accomplish this, however, it all begins with the appearance of the vehicle.
